


Emergency Contacts

by ineffablesheep



Series: Phone Calls From Hindsight [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Civil War Team Iron Man, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Not A Fix-It, Not Steve Friendly, Past Relationship(s), Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 20:48:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10395774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ineffablesheep/pseuds/ineffablesheep
Summary: Ruling a country is even more work than T'Challa was prepared for, and unfortunately he may have fallen for Rogers' steamroller tactics. He was tired, it had been a busy week. And then he got a call from Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anneg94](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anneg94/gifts).



> Unbeta'd, mostly written at too-fucking-early in the morning, if you spot anything, please sing out
> 
> Based on Anneg94's request of T'Challa finding out that Tony was injured

Virginia “Pepper” Potts is a formidable woman.

 

This is saying something, considering T’Challa grew up amongst the Dora Millaje and his mother. He has been navigating politics for years under his father’s schooling and now he himself is a force to be reckoned with – as both Black Panther and King.

 

Yet here he is, sitting in his business clothes in his office, holding his breath like a child playing hide and seek.

 

“Your majesty, I hope I haven’t caught you at a bad time.” Potts’ words are polite, but T’Challa can read the undercurrent. If he didn’t have time, he was going to make it.

 

“Not at all Ms. Potts. It is a pleasure to hear from you. I trust you are well?”

 

“I am, your Majesty. However, I haven’t called for a social chat.”

 

“Indeed. Is this Stark Industries related?”

 

“No, this is about Tony Stark and the breakout that occurred at the Raft.”

 

A cold dread began to nudge at T’Challa’s spine, but he knew how to play the political game. No one outside of Shuri, the Dora and a select few scientists knew that the Captain was in Wakanda. Until Ms. Potts had conclusive evidence and outright accused him, she had, at best, circumstantial evidence.

 

“I did hear about that. However, what does that have to do with Mr. Stark and myself if I may ask?”

 

“I wasn’t sure if you would have had a chance to keep up with the news, given that you’ve only just been crowned and taken over ruling. Steve Rogers has had further assault charges filed against him.”

 

T’Challa leaned back in his chair. What had Captain Rogers done now?

 

Originally, he had granted sanctuary for the Captain and his Sargent in apology for his actions against Barnes. His grief had blinded him and he wished to make amends. This offer had not included the Captain commandeering a jet and breaking out his imprisoned team members, and then bringing them back to Wakanda. Bast, what had he been thinking when he let that one slide? He probably hadn’t, he grimaced. There was so much occupying his thoughts during the handover of kingship that he’d simply chosen not to challenge the American about it. A decision he could see was likely to bite him on the rear from the sounds of things.

 

Regardless, he knew how to play the game and took the bait.

 

“Really? Who by?”

 

“Myself, in Mr. Stark’s name. I know from your UN reports that you followed Rogers and Barnes to Siberia and saw Tony there. You said the three were on civil terms before you left, and chose to follow Zemo outside and arrest him. Could you please elaborate further on what happened after that?”

 

“I secured Zemo and returned to my jet. By the time I finished pre-flight checks and contacted the United Nations about Zemo, I had seen nor heard anything more from the three men and presumed that an agreement had been reached. I believed that Mr. Stark had been able to reason with his friends and was going to bring them in himself, while I focused on Zemo.” And that was exactly what he’d told the UN, he could hardly tell them he was harboring fugitives now, could he?

 

“And what actually happened?” T’Challa was suddenly very interested in the woodgrain of his desk. Tell the CEO and risk his country’s security more than he already had, or lie to a woman who could take apart the world and risk his country even more so?

 

“I was just about to take off when the Sargent and Captain Rogers left the base and asked for a lift. They were in rough condition, the Sargent missing his prosthetic and Captain Rogers looking very beaten. I asked about Mr. Stark, Iron Man, and was told by the Captain that he was fine, a little worse for wear. He told me that Mr. Stark needlessly attacked his friend but he ‘disabled the suit enough to get away’.

 

I trusted the Captain’s assessment as I saw no reason for him to lie to me about his friend’s condition--” the CEO snorted at that moment, “—and then I headed for the UN headquarters, making a minor detour to drop off Captain Rogers and Sargent Barnes.” _In Wakanda,_ he didn’t say, but he didn’t need to.

 

“So you left Mr. Stark in the Siberian Hydra base, with no thought as to Mr. Stark’s condition, taking for granted the word of a man that you’d been fighting less than a day ago about the man you fought alongside?”

 

“What is it you are accusing me of, Ms. Potts?” His father had been right, he didn’t have the patience for diplomacy. His chair was uncomfortable and he wanted to know what it was he’d supposedly done wrong. He was already trying to atone for one mistake.

 

On the other end of the line, Ms. Potts sighed.

 

“I’m sorry.” What? “It’s been a long week. I don’t mean to take this out of you, your Majesty, I wasn’t thinking. A little too much guns blazing and not enough CEO…” She trailed off, laughing weakly, and T’Challa could feel himself sagging a little in his seat.

 

“Apology acknowledged, Ms. Potts. It has been a long week for myself as well.”

 

“Well, it’s about to get even longer.” Oh _Bast_.

 

“Something tells me this is to do with the Captain and Mr. Stark in Siberia, and those assault charges you mentioned earlier.”

 

“Tony did fight with Barnes and Rogers in Siberia, after Zemo showed them a tape of the Winter Soldier killing his parents. Turned out that Rogers,” she spat the name, “had known this since 2014 and had decided to keep it from him. So Tony turned around and smacked Rogers in the face. It escalated from there.”

 

“Forgive me for asking, but how can you file assault charges when Mr. Stark struck first?”

 

“When someone is upset and grieving, do you calm them down or fight back?”

 

“True, although I’m not sure how successful you’ll be at getting them to stick. How is Mr. Stark, anyway?”

 

“One baseline human in a suit of armor against two super soldiers who weren’t holding back – you can imagine. He’s not doing well. Still tried to break out of the hospital twice once he woke up but he’s not going anywhere that Rhodey can’t follow.”

 

That cold in his spine is snaking its way upwards and he can’t compress the shiver.

 

“Surely Mr. Stark wasn’t pulling his own punches, if he was as upset as I know he would be?” He certainly hadn’t been, but he had been fighting a stranger, not a friend. The CEO just laughs. It’s a sad sound to hear, slightly watery and broken, like she has too much to carry.

 

“If Tony hadn’t pulled his punches, there would be two dead super soldiers and that fucking bunker would have been razed to the ground.” T’Challa’s eyes blinked wide at the profanity. “That suit has handled far worse than Rogers and his best friend. Take a look at the Stark Expo when Hammer got in over his head, or New York or Sokovia. Tony has more firepower in that suit than most people realize.

 

“He had a broken arm when he flew out to Siberia, according to medical reports. When we found him, he had further damaged the same arm, shattered the remains of his sternum and had multiple broken ribs, a severe concussion and flat-lined too many times in surgery. He was comatose for four days.

 

“God, getting that phone call. After everything I’m still his emergency contact and this was my worst nightmare.” T’Challa didn’t think he was supposed to hear that last part, it was said so quietly.

 

What had the Captain done? This was his fellow teammate, yet he’d clearly done more than ‘disable the suit’.

 

“At what point could Rogers have stopped and been able to leave safely without fighting further with Mr. Stark?”

 

“He could have stopped at the point Tony was down to two fully functioning thrusters, or the point his helmet was broke off.”

 

Yet Rogers would not stand down if someone opposed him. Especially not if that perceived threat was against Sargent Barnes. What would he do if T’Challa opposed him? The resulting fallout could be devastating to Wakanda. That was almost as terrifying as the idea that Mr. Stark was ‘fine’ when he was clearly anything but.

 

“Well, Ms. Potts, should I hear any rumors around Rogers’ or his allies’ movements, or anything else that might be relevant to Mr. Stark, I shall keep you informed.”

 

_I’ll tell you if Rogers decides to try anything stupid, or if he and the other attempt to visit Mr. Stark._

“That would be greatly appreciated, it would be terrible if he missed a court date. Thank you for your time, you Majesty. It was lovely to speak with you and I wish you the best with Wakanda.”

 

_Thank you, I’ll keep your cover and help you wrangle them if needed. I’m sorry for biting your head off before._

“Please, call me T’Challa.”

 

_We’re in this for the long run, we could both use friends._

“Very well, please call me Pepper.”

 

_We’re going to need a few of those._

With that, T’Challa ended the call. He slumped forward on his desk and rested his head on the cool wood of his desk. What had he gotten himself into? If Tony Stark, the Captain’s friend, could stand against him and come off so badly, then what would happen if T’Challa stood his ground?

 

He was raised to be a king, he knew how to play the games of politics and manipulation. Rogers did not, if his track record was anything to go by. He was in over his head, a week into his kingship. But he could do this, work with this. The rogue Avengers were certainly not going to be pampered and spoilt – even before the call with Ms Potts – now they would be gifted the bare minimum. Perhaps he could drive them from Wakanda, starting with the air-conditioning…

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope this doesn't come across as me hating T'Challa, cause I walked out the theatre with a new favourite character and I love him. Unfortunately for him I think he got trapped by the "it's easier to let Steve have his way than it is to disagree" mentality.
> 
> I am so nervous posting this! I've worked on multichapters before but I've never written a series and certainly never been requested for more like it. I'm actually having to think about world building. Seriously hoping not to disappoint. I might come back and edit this slightly when it's not arse-o'clock in the morning cause I think I might have missed a couple of things


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